fightingfantasyfandomcom-20200222-history
The Shamutanti Hills (book)
:For other uses of '''The Shamutanti Hills', see'' The Shamutanti Hills (disambiguation) The Shamutanti Hills is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by John Blanche, originally published in 1983 by Penguin Books (ISBN 0-14-006794-9) and later by Puffin Books, and is the first book in the Sorcery! epic. It was originally packaged with The Sorcery Spell Book as the first release in the Sorcery! series by Penguin Books in the boxset entitled "Steve Jackson's Sorcery!". It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It was not numbered as part of the original Puffin series when it was republished in 1985 by Puffin (ISBN 0-14-031807-0), but is 9th in the modern Wizard "Series 1" (ISBN 1-84-046430-5). Creation Background - Back Cover ("Adventure Gamebooks" Edition)}} It details the beginning of the player's journey to Mampang Fortress, covering the distance from Analand to Kharé through the Shamutanti Hills, a dangerous region occupied by a wide variety of nomads and monsters. As the first in the series this book is the easiest to complete, apart from a trap-filled Manticore lair at the very end. Rules The book in general follows the original rules set down in ''The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. (see Game System) Unique Rules *The introductory rules offer the reader a choice of a "simple" (where no magic is used and fights are run according to standard Fighting Fantasy combat) or an "advanced" game (which relies heavily on magic). *The player has a series of magic spells that can be used, each costing between 1 and 4 stamina points. *The player may also call upon the help of Libra, - the goddess of Justice, once in the adventure (she may not be called upon again till the events of Kharé - Cityport of Traps). In calling on her the player may ask for "Revitalization" (restoration of skill, stamina, or luck points to their Initial level; "Escape" which allows you (when the text offers it) to escape a situation; or "Removal of Curses and Diseases" which can take place at any time and removal all curses or diseases that the player labours under at the time. Equipment List *Sword *Backpack *20 Gold Pieces *2 Provisions Covers and Illustrations Covers The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by John Blanche. The first two covers were both of the Wraparound Cover Format. The obvious difference in the second cover is the inclusion of coloured triangle in the top right corner, with a serrated edge and the number "1" in it. This came about after the release of Kharé - Cityport of Traps which extended the series to book 2 and so numbering was introduced. The spine and back cover were almost identical to the first save that in the bottom right hand corner under the Penguin Books logo was the wording "Fantasy Game" as opposed to "Game" and in the bottom left hand corner were international prices. The writing also differed very slightly on the back cover. The first back cover, released with the original Sorcery! gamebox/slip case did not mention The Sorcery Spell Book presumably because the book was bought in the same package as the Spell Book. The second cover specifically said: whereas the first cover said: This was to advertise ''The Sorcery Spell Book which was being sold separately. The spine also had a slight difference in that in the second cover the spine had the writing "Sorcery! 1 The Shamutanti Hills" whereas the first edition just said "The Shamutanti Hills". When the book was republished by Wizard the cover was re-worked by Mel Grant. #No price was given for the 1st or 2nd Impressions on their own. They were sold along with a separate book called The Sorcery Spell Book as part of the original two book box release titled "Steve Jackson's Sorcery!". #Price of 3rd Impression (by Penguin Books) #Price of 4th Impression (1st Puffin printing and incorporating The Sorcery Spell Book). Also the price of the 5th (1984) and 6th (1985) impression with same cover. #Price of 13th Impression Illustrations The interior illustrations were by John Blanche. Intertextual References Other Media d20 System Conversion There is a D20 System conversion by Myriador called Sorcery 1: The Shamutanti Hills. Main Characters YOU: Hero of Sorcery! *Alianna - Witch *Archmage *Chalanna the Reformer *Gaza Moon *Glandragor the Protector *Jann - Minimite *Proseus *Spirit of Mananka Locations *Analand *Avanti Wood *Baddu-Bak Plains *Brice *Birritanti *Cantopani *Cantopani Gate *Chalmoe River *Chawberry Wood *Cloudcap Mountains *Daddu-Ley, the Copperstone Caves *Daddu-Yadu, the Croaking Caves *Dhumpus *Femphrey *Forest of the Snatta *Gallantaria *Glandragor's Tavern *High Xamen *Ilklala River *Jabaji River *Kakhabad *Kakhabad Sea *Kharabak River *Kharé *Klatta-Bak Steppes *Kristatanti *Krooe River *Lake Ilklala *Lake Lumlé *Lea-Ki *Lendleland *Low Xamen *Lumlé River *Mampang Fortress *Mauristatia *Nagomanti River *Outpost Settlement *Ruddlestone *Schanker Mines *The Shamutanti Hills *The Baklands *Tinpang River *Torrepani *Vale of the Elvin *Vanti-Bak Wastes *Vischlami River *Vischlami Swamp *Zanzunu Peaks Encounters Further Notes *20 endings, plus death by stamina loss or bad luck. *The Sorcery! series originally began publication under the main Penguin Books brand rather than the Puffin imprint. *''The Sorcery Spell Book'' was originally a separate, small book that came boxed with The Shamutanti Hills, and was not incorporated into the main gamebook till the first publication by Puffin under the Adventure Gamebooks banner. When it did so the illustrations were excluded, making a return when the book was re-issued by Wizard. Errors *(319) is unreachable and superfluous. *(248) instructs you that you’ve been given a Vial of Glue (along with other artefacts), but when you later come across the Night Creatures (123) and try to cast the GUM spell, you are told that you cannot cast this spell because you don’t have the Vial of Glue. *It is possible to reach (170) without passing any heads on posts. This reference is also an instant death, even though you are Lucky after Testing your Luck. Dedication Penguin/Puffin Editions To Wizard Edition For Ian Livingstone Thanks for the adventures ... See Also *''Fighting Fantasy'' Reviews *[http://user.tninet.se/~wcw454p/docs/sor1.txt The Shamutanti Hills at FF Reviews Archive] External Links *Character Sheet *[http://www.gamebooks.org/show_series.php?name=Fighting+Fantasy+Reissues Fighting Fantasy (Wizard Series) at Gamebooks.org] References Category:1983 books Category:Fighting Fantasy Wizard Series Category:Sorcery 1 Entries Category:Sorcery Entries Category:Sorcery Series